


As the Strings Sing Through the Air

by stellacanta



Series: Sheith Unlimited 2k18 [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 15:17:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14191815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellacanta/pseuds/stellacanta
Summary: Sheith Unlimited Week Day 5 (3/22): HarmonyVery few people knew what a viola was, but that didn’t matter to Keith. Even if no one else could see the beauty in the instrument, and only saw it for its smaller cousin, he knew that a viola was a very special instrument all on its own.





	As the Strings Sing Through the Air

The first time Keith had seen a viola, he was in sixth grade and they were handing out instruments to the kids who had signed up for orchestra. They had just run out of violins when a rectangular soft shell case was pulled out from the very back of the instrument closet. “I’m sorry Keith,” the instructor had said. “We’re out of violins, but we still have a few violas if you’re okay with taking a viola.” Keith hadn’t said a word as he unzipped the case and pushed it open. He hadn’t been able to tell that it _wasn’t_ a violin at first, the two instruments were remarkably similar after all.

The instructor had blabbered away about something that Keith frankly couldn’t care about as he had run his hands over the worn wood of the viola. The wood had been smooth to his touch, and, while it was a little big, he found that the viola was a perfect size for him when he had lifted it out of its case. And the first time he had played the instrument, the bow sliding gracefully across string? His eyes had widened at the clear note that sang through the air.

Even if the viola was pitched lower than the violin and all the kids who got violins bragged about it, in that moment he had fallen in love with the instrument. Who cared if people thought a viola was just a knock-off violin? He knew better. The viola’s notes carried a deepness and a warmth that he found the violins seemed to lack. (Oh, and the violins were squeaky. Who cared if you could play high notes if they all sounded squeaky?)

He still couldn’t find himself to care that he played the viola and not the violin as he progressed through orchestra. So, what if the violins got all the lovely melodies? The cellos and violins got lovely harmonies that resonated through and air and brought depth to their melodies. Sometimes, the violas would get their own little patch of melody too, from a composer with appreciation for an underappreciated instrument.

Keith didn’t get his own viola until he was sixteen, always using rentals and battered ones from the school until he had scrimped and saved enough money to buy his own. As expected, the selection of violas in the music shop was small, and he sighed when he was shown a few violins at first. The viola that he had ended up buying was way back in the shop, and nothing particularly special to look at. There were no flashy “tiger stripes” across the body and neck of the instrument like one of the other violas. However, when he picked up and played a small tune, he knew that it was the instrument for him. It cost nearly all the money he had saved up, but it was worth it to him.

That viola went with him everywhere he went. Whenever he was sad, or angry, he found himself gravitating towards the instrument and playing his emotions out through the instrument. The viola becoming the voice for the emotions and feelings he could not voice. Its song screamed through the empty desert.

There was a disused practice room in the Garrison. There was a small hallway of them actually, but this one he had come to think of as his. One day when he opened the unlocked door, he was surprised to hear the deep sounds of a cello greet him. Keith nearly closed the door and left, but he came to realize that he knew the song. The person inside didn’t seem to notice he had a visitor as he softly closed the door behind him and removed his viola from his case.

The cellist only looked up when his viola joined in at the next measure, the sounds of the instruments slotting together perfectly as they sang the rest of the song together, the last notes vibrating pleasantly in the air as they came to a stop at the exact some point.

The cellist turned and smiled at him. “I wasn’t exactly expecting company, but I can’t say it was unpleasant.” The cellist craned his neck to get a better look at his instrument. “A viola was it? It didn’t sound as high pitched as a violin.”

 “Finally,” Keith said with a bright smile on his face. “Someone that recognizes a viola on sight. Did you know that when I was buying this thing I got shown violins at the shop?”

The cellist laughed and shook his head. “Somehow, I can’t say I’m surprised. Most people can’t tell the difference, but we lower strings have to stick out for each other since no one else seems to know that we exist.” Keith nodded and was surprised when the cellist stood up and held out a hand to him. “Hi, I’m Shiro. Pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Violist.”

Keith smirked as he shook Shiro’s hand. “Keith, nice to meet you as well.”

“Want to play another song,” Shiro asked as he sat back down. “I’ll even let you pick the song.”

Keith made a noise as he thought for a moment. He fiddled with his bow for a minute before he nodded and shouldered his viola once more. “Okay, I think I know just the song too. You should know it too if you’ve been listening to the radio recently.”

Shiro’s laughed was quickly replaced by the twin voices of a cello and a viola filling the space. (It was the start of a beautiful, musical relationship.)


End file.
